I'm Raymond Reddington's Cat
by cress26
Summary: How I came to live with the Concierge of Crime: Raymond Reddington. AU, Fantasy, Point of View.
1. Chapter 1

Notes: Something different this time. Short chapters and yes, eventually Lizzington too.

Thank you to heaterpeters for the beta.

XXXXXXXXXXX

I was born, raised, and lived as a feral cat in 'Little Falls Park' in Washington, D.C.

As a kitten, I used to live with my parents and siblings in a colony in areas that provide shelter, food and water, mostly around garbage dumpsters. However, I grew restless when I got older. I wanted to see and explore the world, so one day I simply left them to live on my own.

I typically hid during daylight hours, slept under a bush or in the trunk of a tree where I wasn't disturbed. At night, I roamed around the park, hunted for mice and birds and guarded my territory.

While the park met the basic survival needs in summer, it was difficult each winter.

One evening, I crept along the creek and scratching my claws on a tree, when I noticed two strange humans walking off the beaten track. One of them was elegantly dressed in a three-piece suit and hat, the other was all black from skin to clothes. The black man carried a briefcase and a gun and looked rather grim.

I knew a gun was a deadly weapon, because I had witnessed a ranger shooting a wild fox when I was still a kitten, so I always made sure to avoid the ranger at all costs.

But if I had one weakness, it was the fact that I was a curious being. So, inquisitive as to what they were up to, I silently followed them, until the rustling of dry leaves on the ground gave me away.

The man in the suit quickly turned at the noise and stared at me. I stared back for long seconds. I noticed from the corner of my eye that the black man had raised his gun. Startled and desperate to escape, I slipped on the outer edge of the creek. It had rained all night and the ground had softened. In my haste, I lost my balance, tripped and fell into the creek, where the rushing water quickly swept me away.

I let out gut-wrenching meows, helplessly paddled with my paws, but it was no use, the safe shore had vanished from my sight.

I thought this was the end. I would soon drown in the freezing cold water, but then I was suddenly scooped up with a hat. When I looked up I saw the man in the suit, standing in waist-deep water.

He had rescued me.

My fur was soaked and my entire body shivered from the chill. I was frightened! What would the man do with me now that he'd caught me? Was this my death after all?

I had no experience with humans. My survival instinct had always told me to avoid any interaction. My parents had taught me to be cautious of them, apparently there were good ones and bad ones. I continued to remain in a state of shock; too exhausted to try to escape, so I just crouched inside his hat, very scared and anxiously awaiting my fate.

The man waded back through the water to safe grounds and was just as drenched as I was. The black man helped him from the water, then scolded him. They quickly walked back the way they'd come.

He continued to carry me inside the warm wool of his hat, occasionally smiling at me, all the while passionately discussing the necessity of my rescue with his friend. They both suddenly stopped dead in their tracks when we heard gun fire echoing through the park.

They ducked their heads and hurried to a big black vehicle. The suit man put me on the backseat beside him, while the black man climbed into the front seat and drove us from the area.

I didn't know where they would take me, why they hadn't simply released me, or why I didn't jump out of the hat when I had the chance.

The next thing I knew, I was lifted from the wet hat and wrapped in his expensive woolen cashmere suit jacket, which had remained partially dry. He carefully patted the soft fabric against my soppy fur, while he started to refer why cats in ancient Egypt were worshipped. How they saved the civilization from disease and death by catching rats and venomous scorpions and snakes.

There was something in his deep voice that instantly kept me calm. I watched him speak, while his friendly face and green eyes held a warm smile when he looked at me. Somehow, I knew I could trust him.

I still had no intention of fleeing when they parked the car after a short ride. He then carried me to a small flat which I found cozy and warm. Lots of pictures graced the shelves and walls and there was an impressive collection of old books and records. I had no idea humans lived like that.

The suit man placed me into an armchair, disappeared briefly into the bathroom, then came back with a large fluffy towel and carefully dried me some more. His touch was soft, reserved and unobtrusive. When he was done I felt comfortable enough to lick my coat clean with strokes of my tongue, smothering the fur on my front paws and on my belly.

In the meantime, the man went into another room and made funny noises while standing under running water. I didn't understand why he would get wet by choice all over again.

When he came back he had changed into different, casual style clothes.

"I think it's time to properly introduce myself," he said, trying to connect with me by talking.

"My name is Raymond Reddington and this is my home."

In that moment, the black man entered the room, carrying several heavy bags.

"Oh, and this is my friend, Dembe. He's purchased food for you."

Their hospitality kept improving. Dembe walked to the adjoining kitchen, opened a can and put the contents into a small bowl and presented it to me.

It was the finest gourmet cat food and it smelled delicious, but I didn't want to appear too eager, so I sniffed it first, then looked at them: "You've got to be kidding me."

Raymond just laughed at my expression, clearly reading me like an open book.

"You're going to love this, my dear," he said and sat down and poured himself a glass of some brown sharp smelling liquid. In time, I would learn he enjoyed plenty of it.

I wolfed down the entire bowl and Dembe generously gave me a refill. When I had enough I returned to the chair. Raymond had exchanged the wet towel with a soft blanket and I curled up, washed my fur once more, then purred in utter contentment.

I watched both men eat and drink, then relaxed in chairs. I sensed Raymond's scrutiny, he tilted his head every now and then, checking if I was alright.

Later that evening, discovering I had overcome the entire incident without damage, he opened a window so I could easily leave the room and exit the flat over the roof if I wanted to leave for good, as the park was nearby, but I decided to stay.

Obviously touched by my decision, he smiled at me. Then suddenly serious, he said: "By saving your life today, you saved mine, because otherwise the people I was supposed to meet in the park, would have shot me.

"You may stay as long as you wish. My home is your home."

I squeezed my eyes shut in understanding and purred a little louder just for him.

Feral cats are considered wild and unsuitable for adoption.

Well, I would prove otherwise. Tomorrow, I decided, I would allow him to pet me.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

When I decided to stay with those humans, Dembe and Raymond installed and taught me how to use a cat flap, so that I could come and go as I pleased, because as it turned out, the flat wasn't their permanent home.

Sometimes they were gone for weeks, traveling abroad for business, but at least I had shelter this way, especially on a cold night.

Funny enough, I always discovered a bowl with dry food and fresh water to be available, so whoever arrived to feed me, it was sweet and touching and I appreciated the effort.

I developed a keen sense whenever they were home or not and I even recognized the sounds of their vehicle's engine miles away. I always stayed with them when they were, and only left the flat to mind my "own business".

Over time I became very close with them both. They were very loving and always made me feel welcome.

Dembe was a surprisingly gentle person and never seemed to grow tired of playing with me. I always helped him when he sat for hours, putting hundreds of small puzzle pieces together. His patience seemed to be endless in that matter. He always had special treats for me in his pocket and he was the one I allowed to scratch and rub my belly first.

Raymond was a much harder nut to crack. He always seemed aloof and unreachable at first. He always kept a distance. Yet, the way he looked at me, the way his eyes pleaded, like I was the only one who could help him. He watched me, smiled whenever he gazed at me and I could say with confidently that he enjoyed my presence nonetheless.

That changed quickly however, when I was alone with him. He then transformed into a completely different person.

I learned that Raymond was a troubled man, with a debt on his soul. He was in pain, full of regrets, sorrow and loss. His world was dark and dolorous to the point that he'd obey the summons of death with more alacrity than he would of life.

He would always be on the run, convicted and suspected of committing some very serious crimes.

He had always tried to make the best of it, hiding in plain sight, living a full, rich, opulent life with the allure of guilty pleasures.

He genuinely enjoyed his alone time, relieved for the opportunity to abandon his business and duties for short periods. I felt honored and gratified he sought my company during that time.

Curled up in his lap became my most favorite place to be. I purred and my eyes squinted shut when his strong hands would gently pet me for hours as he enjoyed lots of the brown liquid I've told you about before.

I noticed the tension leave his body eventually, his troubles would also disappear and contentment rose from him like steam.

He may have been considered a criminal by the authorities, but I knew he was loving and possessed a good heart.

######

Raymond allowed me to sleep in his bed and left a piece of his blanket free in order for me to stretch out beside him.

His sleep was tormented by nightmares. He usually tossed and turned until he woke up drenched in sweat. I wished I had the ability to chase away those recurring demons too, just by purring - at the very least it helped to soothe and compose him.

When it was time for breakfast I gave him a headbutt and then flopped down next to his face. When he didn't move and continued to feign sleep in hopes that I would leave him alone, I touched his face with my paw to get his attention.

In answer, his mouth came to place a series of small kisses on the sensitive underside of my paw and I would pull away quickly at the tickling, only to put my paw back onto his face so that he could do it all over again.

This exchange of affection always made him smile and the look in his eyes melt me every time.

"You really shouldn't love me so much," he whispered as I nuzzled against him, purring like a lawnmower.

######

One day he had bought a red collar and held up a tiny metal cube.

"This microchip contains all my secrets. If something ever happened to me the world will know the truth," he told me.

He secured the chip into the fabric, then put the collar around my neck. I found it annoying and meowed displeased and unhappy as I tried to strip it off.

He just intently gazed at me with a tilt of his head and an amused smile: "This is important, sweetheart."

How could I resist any longer when he looked at me like that?

######

I loved listening to his voice. At "lap-time", he had started to tell stories about his childhood and Navy experiences, and his early life as he struggled to keep ends met; also how he came to be within his criminal empire.

He would sit in his chair, grinning often as he remembered something, or laughing at his own youth and foolishness, his voice a low rumble in his chest.

The stories would usually start in one place and wander, branch, and diverge until an hour later I had long forgotten the initial episode, but it didn't matter because he was such a captivating storyteller.

######

And then, one day, he started to tell me about her.

Elizabeth.

By the way his voice always softened when he talked about her, I knew she was special.

Their lives had elaborately intertwined when she was still a little girl and the years they spent apart had sustained his belief in their eventual reunion and it had given his life purpose and direction. Now that time had come.

In all these years, she had become part of his hope for a second chance, a hold on peace and love. His determination that they were meant to be together could only be defeated by his cognition that she deserved so much better than him, and that his presence in her life alone put her in great danger and misery.

It was a constant battle of letting her go but remaining in the very same part of her orbit.

If he thought living the life of a criminal was tough, he truly underestimated loving her.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

Notes: Sorry when this story comes in small slow pieces. I'm struggling with health issues - so bear with me and please stick around.

LLLLLLLLLLLLLL

Raymond and Elizabeth started working together. He thought it was an ingenious plan to surrender himself to the FBI to get close to her, while I thought he was out of his mind.

When he finally came home after the first week, he'd suffered a neck injury. He genuinely laughed at my concerned look.

"She actually tried to kill me. She stabbed me with a pen, imagine that!"

He was in absolute awe of her because she was more than he ever thought: beautiful, smart, fierce and talented. He adored her and practically swooned and gushed over her all the time. I briefly considered letting him feel my claws on the other side of his neck just to help him return to his senses. The very last thing he needed to complicate his life, was a woman.

This behavior of his, was new. He'd never brought a woman to this apartment. If he'd enjoyed intimate contact before, he'd kept it absolutely secret, possibly occurring out of town. The way he suddenly devoted his entire life to Elizabeth and saw to her care and protection was impressive despite my objections – and maybe I was just a little jealous.

######

Sometimes she appeared overwhelmed by him too: his presence, his essence, his ways. They made a great team, and working together, they caught criminals effectively and in large numbers, but he was unable to secure her affection. So, as quickly as his euphoria rose, it quickly died down. She seemed insistent on resisting and resenting him.

He'd done things for decades, things he never wanted her to discover, not because he didn't trust her, but because he never wanted her to look at him with fear, hate or disdain.

The truth about Elizabeth's past, her parents, and how it all had been connected would hurt and he worried she wouldn't understand. That's why he never told her everything. He made an effort never to lie to her instead and every question which would compromise that scheme went unanswered. His silence however was a source of continuous frustration for her and he totally underestimated the intensity of her fiery reactions, especially in the years to come.

He knew he was a danger to her and her life and the need to keep her from harm at his enemy's hands became an obsession. So, it was inevitable that in their line of work, she ultimately witnessed the merciless and ruthless methods to achieve that goal. She called him a monster twice and while he justified his actions with the necessity to protect her, I knew her words cut deep into his heart and made him feel unworthy.

######

Little by little Raymond wormed himself into her life and turned it upside down.

He strategically planted seeds of suspicion and doubt in her mind regarding her husband, Tom. I could tell he hated Tom with a passion, as his fingers always delved a little too deep into my fur when he was talking about him.

For years he kept saying: if only Ranko Zamani had finished him completely on that first day. A lot of painful events in the future could have been prevented.

Hired as her protector from afar, Tom dared to enter her life and ultimately married her. Headhunted by one of Raymond's enemies, Tom's shifted loyalty posed a threat to her safety and he had to be removed from her at all costs.

But despite all efforts, Tom just did not fall from grace. Raymond cursed the fact that he had nine lives like a cat and that just like a cockroach, he survived and adapted to everything that had been thrown at him.

And while all of Raymond's acts remained unforgiven, all of Tom's lies, bad moves and false pretenses were always pardoned and she wouldn't let him go.

Even when the relationship turned sick and twisted and ultimately abusive on both sides, they always came back together, no matter how wrong it seemed.

I never understood why Raymond simply didn't kill the man, why he silently surrendered to their togetherness.

Perhaps it was due to the fact that Raymond had already put Elizabeth's adoptive father Sam out of his misery, to spare him a slow and painful death by cancer.

He wasn't sure if she would ever forgive this detestable act, so he wouldn't take another loved one from Elizabeth in that manner.

Simply by comparison, Raymond was the typical dominant male: attractive, confident, strong, outgoing, secure in himself and fun - Tom would stand no chance at all.

And yet, each time Elizabeth found it necessary to render Raymond powerless, to crush his love, his fondest hopes, his most tender affections, leaving him small, desolate and aching. That alone should have told him he didn't stand a chance with her.

I knew he suffered as he quietly drank his Scotch at night, sleepless, playing solitaire at the table, completely lost in thoughts.

When I could find no other way to console him, I jumped onto the table and fished out the Queen of Hearts from the pile of cards with my paw. He looked at me, astonished, and understood that I didn't want him to give up.

The more he hurt, the more I started to really wonder about Elizbeth, what it was about her that had him so captivated and so fixated all the time - until the day I met her.

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

It had been a complicated year, thick with ups and downs, disturbing events, upheavals and changes both very good and very bad.

Elizabeth attempted to break and/or equalize her dependency on Raymond. She had her own little secrets and tried to slip away from his protective surveillance, but it still didn't stop him from saving her life when necessary.

Actually, saving each other's lives and asses became a habit, becoming the substantial theme in their current relationship.

He obtained the antidote when she was infected with a deadly plague, spent days at her side in the hospital, worrying and holding her hand until she was well.

He told me about a long intimate hug they'd shared following a dreadful episode featuring Tom and he fed on this personal moment for months, especially when he was deliberately captured and taken to an oil-rig in the Bering Sea. The rig turned out to be a maximum-security prison; he said it was essential to secure sensitive information.

He didn't expect Elizabeth's determination to come after him, trying to free him. But whatever happened there and after they returned, it had changed them both, and not for the better.

She'd declared their relationship done and strictly business. The amount he drunk in the aftermath was disturbingly boisterous and abusive.

Nevertheless, Elizabeth rescued Raymond at the very last second from a dangerous warlord who'd purchased Raymond at a black market auction and attempted to kill him.

He was overwhelmed with emotions in the fact that she had come for him once again, yet at the same time he couldn't accept her aid and struggled to receive her help. It was a paradox, because it was in fact what he'd most longed for: Her attention, bravery and her care.

Don't ask me how they always found themselves in these dangerous situations and circumstances, it was insane and of course destined to get worse.

######

Anticipation was in the air for days and Raymond feared for his life. When he told Dembe it was time to go away, because a powerful organization called the Cabal were closing in, I was afraid I'd never see them again, that they'd abandon this apartment and town for good.

I jumped into Raymond's packed baggage and plucked at folded garments to make room for me, telling him: I'm coming too!

But he lifted me from the bag and into his arms effortlessly, laughing and promising me that he'd continue to see to my welfare and that he'd return.

He nuzzled the top of my head and I held perfectly still, started to purr and savored our closeness. It could be a while.

It was Elizabeth who kept them from leaving, however, when she called and asked to meet. Little did I know how momentous things would turn out in that street and most certainly I didn't expect to meet her myself.

######

I was just munching on some dry food when suddenly I heard the door unlock and the lights were switched on. I quickly hid behind the counter, quiet as a church mouse.

Someone hesitantly stepped inside and curiously looked around.

I crawled to the corner and carefully peeked around. I recognized her instantly and not by the photographs on the shelves, but mostly by the way Raymond had always described her to me.

It was Elizabeth.

But something wasn't right. She was pale and seemed immensely troubled. She reeked of blood - Raymond's blood! There were several bloodstains on her jacket and pants.

What the hell had happened? Why was she here?

Before she could inspect each room further, she rushed to the bathroom and splashed some water on her face while she leaned over the sink, obviously fighting getting sick.

I watched her from afar, silent and cautious, so she wouldn't notice me.

Closing her eyes for a moment, she took several deep breaths to calm herself.

Then her eyes fell on the crystal spray bottle on the mirrored tray above her and with shaky hands she reached out and picked it up. She sniffed directly at the nebulizer and fought back a choked sob as tears rushed to her eyes at the smell. It was Raymond's aftershave.

"God, pull yourself together," she cursed herself and returned the bottle to the tray.

She walked to the living room and sat at his desk. The middle drawer had a false front and she removed it. She found a silver case along with a key.

How did she know it was there?

Alarmed and sick of being kept in the dark, I decided to find out.

I made my presence known and jumped onto the counter top, meowing loudly and startling her to death.

"Hey, sweetheart."

She got up from the chair and approached me. Her features softened when she looked at me with her friendly and amazing blue eyes and a gentle smile. She was pretty and in that moment, I could see and understand what Raymond saw in her.

"Hi Kitty."

I meowed in response and allowed her to briefly pet my head. I started to purr at her touch, but didn't let her linger. She didn't deserve my affection yet, Raymond suffered so much pain by loving her, I just couldn't imagine getting very friendly with her.

I jumped off the counter and trod over to the desk. I jumped onto it and sniffed at the silver case, then sat down beside it and stared at Elizabeth intently for answers.

Boring my eyes into her face made her visibly uncomfortable.

"What do you want?" she asked me and stared back, but was the first to blink when my gaze remained unbroken.

She lowered her head and a shudder ran through her.

"Red… he was shot."

When she looked back up her eyes brimmed with tears and the sight of them really had me worried. Was he okay? Or had he met his demise?

"It's my fault," she whispered in a thin voice. "It's all my fault. If only I hadn't been so damn proud. We quarreled and I hurt him and I kept things from him to make him stay and – and I never told him – he doesn't know how much I …"

Her voice cracked with emotion and she fell silent. She cared, I realized. She really cared about him in that way too.

I meowed, then tilted my head to the side. She sighed deeply and pointed at the case.

"He's in surgery and I have to bring this to him," she continued to explain. "He'll need it once he wakes up."

She got up and took one final look around, but then paused when her gaze fell on a framed photo sitting on the bookshelf.

It was a photo of a woman sitting on a swing, holding a little girl in her arms. Elizabeth studied it closely, shocked and astonished, then grabbed her cellphone and took a picture of the image.

She placed it back slowly, her momentary sadness instantly turning into resentment all over again. She grabbed the case, said goodbye to me in a hurry and switched off the lights.

When she opened the door, she was looking down the barrel of a gun.

A stranger pointed his weapon at her and forced her to back up, inside the apartment.

I fled into the kitchen while my mind raced furiously, thinking about what I could do. Raymond wasn't here to protect her, so the only one left to prevent that stranger from shooting her was me. It was my responsibility. I had to preserve Raymond's life works and the love of his life. Despite what I felt for her, I couldn't just sit here and watch her die.

I desperately pondered what to do. If I attacked him or scared him from behind he would pull the trigger. If I simply walked up to him he could kill us both.

Before I could come up with the right approach, the stranger put down the gun. The relief that flooded through my body was immense, because I had a hunch that things might not gone well if I had gone through with my rescue plan.

Elizabeth and the stranger opened the case and an odd mechanical device emerged. Was it some kind of TV? It played something that looked like a movie, except it was all data: headlines, text, names and dates.

Elizabeth seemed shell-shocked by all the displayed information and together, they left in haste once it had finished broadcasting.

"Hey, haven't you forgotten anything important?"

I sat on the kitchen counter and pouted. They could have at least opened a can of that delish cat food for me after this shocking event.

######

Unforeseeable, a few days later, Elizabeth came back. Raymond had decided, for safety reasons, to recover from his gunshot wound at another safe house. I missed him terribly and wondered how he was doing. I had just fallen asleep on his bed and was rudely awaken when she stormed into the apartment like a bulldozer.

She was angry and upset and she started to talk to Raymond as if he was there. Wrecking furnishings and equipment, she carelessly threw books and papers from the shelves onto the floor.

Looking for something, she turned pillows, opened drawers and inspected decorations, dropping everything to the ground, all the time talking to him in a mean sarcastic way.

I ran into the living room to defend his property. I arched my back, fluffed my tail out and hissed and growled at her, ready to attack if she wouldn't stop.

"Now look who's there! The devil's little advocate!" she hissed back at me.

Whatever happened to "sweetheart" I briefly wondered, then growled deep in my throat at her again at the verbal slander.

The ringing of her phone disrupted our intense staring contest. It was Raymond, telling her she'd made her point. How did he even know she was here?

Her triumphant smile didn't last long when I looked at her in rejection and confusion. This way we wouldn't become friends at all.

I experienced for myself how difficult she was to deal with, especially if poor Raymond had to cope with that kind of behavior all the time.

"He never gives me an answer!" she practically yelled at me. "He keeps everything to himself."

Suddenly her anger crumbled, exposing her sadness.

"I just want to know…" she murmured, stifling tears.

Then, as quickly as she came, she left.

######

More than three months went by before I saw any of them again and I thought I was going crazy. Where were they? What had happened now?

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

Notes:

I haven't forgotten about this story. Sorry it took so long.

There's a little Lizzington in this chapter. If you ever wondered what happened the night after her exoneration in S3 - kitty knows it all! :)

Thank you to my dear friend heatherpeters for the beta and the continuous encouragement when it comes to my work.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

A week passed without Raymond and Dembe coming home. Then another.

This wasn't unusual, and I knew they had planned to leave for some undefined time.

Yet, I couldn't quite shake off the feeling that something bad had happened again. What worried me most was that no one came to feed me. That had never happened before.

It wasn't that I was starving, I didn't depend on the meals I was offered. I still enjoyed catching mice every day. It was just that Raymond always made sure I was cared for and I truly enjoyed the delicious treats, but since no one appeared, I understood that he was in serious trouble and probably couldn't send someone to my aid.

So, I waited, rested and strolled along the rooftops, sunbathing and watching out for any activities in Red's apartment.

One evening I looked inside a window while perched on the tiled ledge, peering through a gap in the curtains into the murky twilight of a living room.

The window was slightly ajar, and I could hear a voice talking coming from a flickering square.

Pictures of Raymond and Elizabeth were displayed on that small screen and shocked I heard and learned that they were both wanted by authorities and police. Elizabeth was accused of committing the worst acts of terrorism on American soil in over a decade. Apparently, she had bombed a building and had shot the Attorney General Tom Connolly.

The speaker had called her a terrorist. I didn't know what that was, but the manhunt they'd started to catch her was impressive and one of the largest in FBI history.

She was in the company of Raymond, who'd helped her escape. That alone told me she was probably innocent of the crimes they'd framed her for.

Now they were on the run together and knowing Raymond, attempting to outsmart the law and possible enemies alike.

This of course explained their long absence. Why was I not surprised that the two had managed to get themselves in so much trouble all over again?

From that day forward, I came by the window every evening and listened to the so-called news to get an update on them.

They were on the run for weeks, zigzagging through the country with no apparent intent, at least that's what it looked like.

Then, one evening, after five weeks on the run, Elizabeth was reported dead, shot and killed at an undisclosed location outside of New York City.

They displayed her lifeless form, lying in a dark, thick pool of blood on the floor.

OMG! What had happened?

Horror-stricken, I nearly fell off the roof.

What about Raymond? Was he okay? Or was he hurt or killed too?

I didn't get much sleep that night, worrying about him, wondering how her death would affect him.

My questions were answered when I heard the rattle of some dry food being dropped into my bowl the next day. Even from far away I'd recognized that sound. With quick easy jumps I crossed the roof, pushed through the cat flap and darted into the kitchen.

I came to a sudden halt in front of a petite, older woman with black rimmed glasses, short hair and dressed in a business suit. She looked formidable, almost a little dangerous; appeared absolutely resolute and determined in her demeanor.

I'd never seen her before and I instantly decided that I didn't like her. And by the way the woman folded her arms and eyed me critically as if she was valuing me for sale, I knew the feeling was mutual.

"Raymond sent me." She told me. "Though I honestly don't see the point in wasting this valuable time. You seem well fed."

I let my tail twitch back and forth, displeased at her words.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, Dembe became injured by saving Elizabeth and Raymond. He'll be fine, but I need to check on him. I also need to clean up and make all evidence of Elizabeth's fake death disappear. I really don't have time to feed or entertain you."

She rolled her eyes, turned and strode away.

Faked death? So, Elizabeth was still alive?

Funny how, when looking back now, this occurrence had been such a harbinger of things to come.

And then the day came. The media reported Elizabeth's capture by the FBI. Her closest colleague, who'd been after her for weeks, had caught her in the woods and consequently, she was sent to prison.

I was very anxious, wondering what they would do to her now, and all I could do was hoping Raymond would find a way to get her out of there too.

But how do you break out of prison?

Three months had passed by now. I waited daily on any more news and finally on one late evening the speaking box told me that Elizabeth had been exonerated.

Eagerly I ran back to the apartment and waited for things to come. And sure enough, I had just fallen asleep on Raymond's chair in the living room when suddenly, Elizabeth tumbled through the door with Raymond following close behind.

They were back, alive and apparently free.

They smiled at me, as though they were happy to see me, yet I regarded them like kids coming home late. But when Raymond scooped me into his arms for an extensive nuzzle, I skipped the long lecture about how worried I was about them and simply started to purr.

He always knew how to wrap me around his little finger. Elizabeth laughed, amused, and called me "easy".

The time on the run together clearly had changed their relationship. Surprised I noticed, that they shared an intimacy that I had never seen before.

They kissed all the time, smiled and spoke kind words to each other. She constantly sought his touch, took his hand, leaned against his shoulder. He wrapped his strong arms around her whenever he could get a hold on her, gently kissed her hair, drawing her close.

She melted into him every time, letting out little sighs that told him how much she savored the contact.

Every so often his hands slid down to lay protectively over her abdomen, on impulse she rested her hand over his and he moved slightly so that her fingers were entwined with his, united and protective.

They stared into each other's eyes for long moments then, exchanging unanswerable questions and unknowable answers.

Not a moment was ever wasted. They were without inhibitions or secrets or barriers and I was delighted to see them like this.

He cooked for her and I smelled chicken, noodles and mushrooms. He stirred the wooden spoon in the pan and made her laugh. Her eyes sparkled with joy and revealed her love for him.

And god, I adored her blonde hair.

They whispered words about a shipping container, Polaris and home when they ate. More than once she thanked him for being the crucial factor in her exoneration.

Later, they had curled up in bed, he'd moved into a sitting position against the headboard and had pulled her between his legs. Her back rested on his lap and her head on his chest.

He was reading to her from different books she'd picked from his bookshelf earlier.

I was allowed to join them in bed, sprawled at their feet and giving my fur an extensive wash while I listened to his deep voice resonating throughout the room as he read.

He spoke about art and literature, then he even talked in a different language, which I learned was Russian. It sounded a little bumpy and he chuckled:

"After all this time, I'm not sure it's pronounced right."

"I wouldn't know, but it sounds amazing, Red. Please keep going."

Elizabeth and I kept listening to him with keen interest, his voice rich and captivating.

Only when they wouldn't stop kissing and engaged in what is called mating in my world, I discreetly left them alone together.

I heard them sigh, moan and cry out all through the night and it was beautiful. I was unbelievably happy for them.

A phone call the next morning changed everything. He was summoned away to an urgent meeting and left in a hurry without her.

Once he was gone, she was called away also and never returned.

To this day it's a complete mystery to me what has happened to them.

It wasn't until days later that they met again, but the air had changed significantly between them. There was so much tension and anger all over again.

Raymond rolled out a map and they began to argue over it. She glared at him and refused to listen, rejecting everything he said.

But what was even worse, she reeked of another man – Tom.

Tom was back in her life, had claimed her back just like he always had.

I couldn't believe my senses, but there was no doubt about it. Gone was the love, the closeness and the genuine care for each other. They hadn't been able to keep their hands off each other, now they deliberately kept their distance from the other and words were spoken that deliberately hurt them both.

Did I imagine their evening together? Did I sniff too much catnip that day? Was it all just a dream?

I knew what I saw. Why were things so different now? And why didn't anyone except me notice?

If I didn't know better, I would think they were brainwashed to believe that their love never existed.

But the worst was yet to come. Later that same day the bomb dropped that devastated Raymond's reality in the most harsh and cruelest way:

Elizabeth was pregnant.

Tbc


End file.
